I’m not talking about the cool Mac vs PC commercials here. If you’re contemplating the purchase of a Mac as I am (for the last year I’ve been waffling about this), then you must read this post from Thomas Hawk about his experience. It’s very enlightening. As a follow-up, Hawk created another post here addressing all of the comments about his original post.

As you know I’m an amateur sports photographer (very amateur). In fact, I host another blog about this hobby here. This was taken with my old Nikon D70 body last spring. I’ve since upgraded to the newer (and better, and more expensive) Nikon D200. It’s a great camera. But I’ve never yet taken a sports photo as good as this one. Focus is perfect. Contrast is phenomenal. Color is beautiful. The emotion within the action is outstanding. At the “end of the day,” maybe the fiddler is more important than the fiddle (kind of like what I’ve tried to tell you about your golf game, TI) .

I still use a wired earpiece with my PPC-6700. Why? Because I’m afraid of losing another expensive bluetooth headset. Are bluetooth headsets really more convenient (including the necessity to charge or replace batteries)? And if they are more convenient, how do you prevent from losing the darn things? Which models are not only good, but are lose-proof? I spent $80 on the first and only bluetooth headset I’ve every used. The wired headset I use costs me $5. I’ve lost 3 wired headsets. But 5 bucks is 5 bucks.

I’ve been a Directv subscriber for a really long time. Sometimes I get this thought that maybe I should take another look at cable. I’ve got 5 TVs hooked up to Directv, with 3 Tivo receivers (well…2 real Tivo receivers. The Directv-brand DVR that I’m counting as three is a joke. But that topic is for another post). I’ve been a Directv subscriber for so long that I only have the round dish – meaning that I’ve never upgraded to the oval dish that’s required for HD. I’ve got a perfectly good HD ready-Pioneer Elite rear projection TV that I don’t use for HD.

Is cable better today than what I remember from many years ago? Or should I stick with Directv? What are the pros and cons? By the way, I do buy the NFL and NBA packages every season on Directv.

TI – What does your gaming expert son say about which gaming system to buy (assuming you’re willing to spend the dough)? My son wants a PS3, but is willing to settle for an Xbox 360. He played with a Nintendo Wii in a store this weekend and thought the motion controllers were really cool, however.

I have been a Treo fan for quite some time. For those that have read our other posts, you know that I have had a Treo 300, 600, 650, and a 700wx, and they have all been with Sprint. This is the first phone that I have had in a long time that does just about everything I have asked of it. I thought the answer was the 700wx, but you all know that story! Besides the carrier issues, and always losing coverage, the Treo 700wx was just too sensitive. I bet I had to reset that thing at least 6 times a day. It just couldn’t handle the workload. It was worse than a 3 time felon cause it was always locked up! I thought I had $600 piece of ice cause it was always frozen! Not sure exactly why this was, but I don’t have to understand it… I am the end-user.

I am quickly falling in love with the PPC 6700 for the following reasons; First off, it never locks up. I have tried to overload it with tasks, and it just keeps taking it! The phone function is great. The sound is great, and the bluetooth functionality is not quirky like the 700wx. Not sure why but somtimes the 700wx would detect my headset, other times it treated it like a one-legged step child and just ignored it! Oh yeah, then I would have to reset it. Let’s not even talk about the screen. The size makes it great for those that like to Slingbox and watch videos, especially when you can quickly chang to the landscape view. Nothing on the market beats it. I know, I know, you can find earlier comments from me calling the thing ugly and bulky. When I compare it the 700wx (I still have mine, waiting for a Sprint return kit), it is about the same size. And just like a true love, the look grows on you. I was at a local Friday’s the other night and the crowd grew when the television went out and I was slingboxing the football game at the bar!!! How cool is that???? I am able to use the same case and holster that I bought for the 700wx.

And just like a champion Whis player , in any debate the 6700 always has the big joker, the trump card, the big stick that will shut any 700wx user right up….WIFI!!!! I didn’t quite realize that I would use this feature much, but when I am sitting at Borders… well, you know the rest of that story!

I am also impressed with the button configuration. Very nice! You can almost get to any of the main functions with one the many buttons on and around the unit. They are nicely recessed so that the ole mistaken button push phenomenon is kept to minimum. The joystick seems to be robust for long term use, and the slide out key pad is easy to use of those of us that have big hands!

Another thing that is a somewhat small thing, but is very recognizable is that this is the first phone that came with everything! In addition, you don’t get punked into buying a bunch of proprietary connectors! This thing uses just standard USB connectors. Oh what a concept! You don’t feel setup like you do when you know that Palm is going to get, at least, another $75 bucks from you on basic necessities! Kinda like buying high end golf clubs, and the manufacturer charges you for headcovers! It is just not right! Take a lesson Palm. So far, I am slingboxing, listening to my xm streaming satellite radio, using the media player, and listening to the audio via the bluetooth headset! I tried to do a little of this with the 700wx, and it really couldn’t handle it.

The only complaint so far, is that the screen seems to be very difficult to see in the sunlight. I hope to improve this when I purchase some anti-glare screen protectors this week. If I can resolve this, I am just tickled to death…. So far, I have to say that this is the best smartphone that I have ever used!!!!! Oh yeah, I could send text messages right out of the box!! Something that the 700wx could not do.

I know Fast Follwer is going to have some smart comments to make about my sudden change of heart, but when you are in love, you don’t care what others say about you!

OK, folks. After my long saga with the 700wx, I finally got rid of it and I now have the Sprint PPC 6700. I have to admit, although the look takes a little getting used to, it WORKS. Yesterday, I finally got to hook up my slingbox. I installed the mobile slingplayer, and I am watching my Satellite TV, and TIVO recordings on my phone!! I will tell you the PPC 6700’s larger screen does come in handy.

Now that I have resolved that, l have another issue that I would like to conquer. How do I get my Slingbox to work with my son’s PSP? The PSP is Wifi, but there does not seem to be any mobile software developed for the PSP. This would save me (and my son 12 year old son) a lot of cheese! If he can get the slingbox to work with the PSP, I would be the “Father of the Year”!

I was also trying to understand if the LocationFree device would work with the WM5 Smartphone. Although, the LocationFree device would have to be pretty simple to beat the Slingbox installation. I gotta tell you all, I was expecting a lot of issues. Everything worked right out of the box….Slingbox wins the “Right Out of the Box” award for me!

I am. And it’s one cool product. In fact, I was out of town Tuesday, but wanted to keep up to speed on the local election coverage in my area. So what did I do? I used the hotel web connection on my laptop to tune in to the Slingbox connected to a DirecTV Tivo box in my house 250 miles away. I watched all of the local election coverage I could stand. I even checked out Tuesday’s Tivo’d “Pardon the Interruption” program to catch up on the latest sports news.

Now that TI will be a proud owner of PPC 6700 maybe he’ll finally “Sling” himself. Yes…you read this correctly: A PROUD OWNER OF A PPC 6700. Not a Treo 700wx. Can you believe it?